


Merry Krampus, Darling~

by TheGoblinWitch



Series: A Collection of Mini Monstrous Love Stories [5]
Category: Monster Girls | Monster Boys, Original Work
Genre: Achievement Unlocked: Partial Krampus Backstory, Bubble Bath, Falling In Love, For Your Own Good, Forced Self Care, Foreplay, Friendship/Love, Getting to Know Each Other, Human/Monster Romance, In reference to being forced to sleep when absolutely necessary for physical wellbeing, Kidnapping, Mildly Dubious Consent, More banter, Nonbinary Character, Oral Sex, Other, Penis In Vagina Sex, Tough Love, chubby character, learning to love yourself, references to top surgery, will they/won't they
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:14:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27888844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoblinWitch/pseuds/TheGoblinWitch
Summary: Pine is having an absolutely, terribly, awfully wretched day. They've been furloughed from their long term dream job, are tired and burned out (seemingly) beyond repair, constantly seem to have others needing their help, and have just all around had bad luck.When things can't seem to get any worse, they are suddenly spirited away by a half-man, half-goat creature, who claims to be Krampus himself.Once whisked away, the demon Lord of Yule announces his plans to take care of the little human, and teach them a thing or two for being unable to properly care for themselves thus far.However Pine had thought their winter season would go, it surely hadn't been in their plans to be given lessons in self-care, self-love, and friendship by an ancient mythological creature.
Relationships: Krampus/Original Non-Binary Character(s), Original Male Character(s)/Original Non-Binary Character(s)
Series: A Collection of Mini Monstrous Love Stories [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1469168
Comments: 9
Kudos: 28





	1. Rock Bottom

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PastelMage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastelMage/gifts).



> Happy Holidays, my lovely readers~  
> I hope you're all having a good winter season, despite how this year has been up until this point. 
> 
> This story is being released thanks to a commission by a good friend of mine, and is dedicated to all of our fellow Pastel Pals. 
> 
> Hopefully you all enjoy Pine and Krampus's story, as well as the brief chance to escape into their world with them.  
> Let them be a reminder to do your own self care, especially during these stressful times.
> 
> ∾⋆∘⋅⋅∘⋆∾

The sound of Christmas music faintly echoed in Pine’s ears as they sat on the crowded bus, the hustle and bustle around them muted and distant as they felt their attention wane, dissociation drawing at the edges of their mind. Their throat felt tight as they gripped the thin carbon copy papers in their fist, nestled tightly in their coat pocket. Without even pulling it out they knew what the papers said, the text on them branded in their mind, scathingly fresh. 

Bold, dark letters that read ‘Mandatory Leave of Absence’ upon the top of the page haunted them. Their signature along the bottom, signalling their acceptance of the enforced ‘ early vacation’. 

Honestly, they should have seen it coming. 

Pine loved their job: a full-time position as a counselor at the local University. They’d held the position since getting their degree, so long ago, and enjoyed it thoroughly. But that wasn’t to say that it wasn’t extremely overwhelming. The school was far too large to employ only a single counselor, even with Pine working full time, plus staying well past their set hours. 

Add in that most of the resident queer and gender-nonconforming students actively came to them, since they were the only faculty member that was visibly or vocally ‘out’... their workload only doubled. It was a labour of love, of course. But a labour nonetheless. 

Frankly, Pine couldn’t remember the last full night of sleep they had gotten, and it had begun to reflect on their appearance and performance at work. More so than they realized, apparently. 

Before they knew it, the Dean himself, a squat, older man with a broom-bristle mustache, had called them into his office and personally handed them a notice of mandatory leave. 

The kind man assured them it was in everyone's self interest, that Pine could use their end-of-year vacation time before the winter break, and that their job was secure when they came back. It made them shake their head in shame, gripping their fist tighter around the papers as they remembered the older man patting their back, his words echoing in their mind. 

“Go home. Take care of yourself. Use some of that vacation time you’ve saved up. You’re no good to any students like this-”

Those words repeated in a God-forsaken loop in their mind, their attention only breaking free from the memory when they felt they felt their phone vibrate in their pants pocket. Giving their head a cursory shake, they blinked briefly, realizing that they had already dis-boarded the bus at their appropriate stop and were a good way down the crowded city street, heading towards their small apartment. 

Sighing loudly to themselves, they pinched the bridge of their nose, their brows knitting together as the beginnings of a headache nipped at the base of their skull. 

“I’ve gotta get it together… I’m gunna walk off a cliff…” 

Stepping forward again, they only made it a few paces before bumping nose first into a broad chest, promptly falling flat on their ass from the sudden force. Gasping, Pine frantically started to pull themself up, apologies already tumbling from their lips like a waterfall. Tears swelled in their eyes, threatening to fall down their cheeks out of sheer frustration. As if their day hadn’t been bad enough. Now they were cold, sore, and goodness knows who they had just ran into while not paying attention...

“Oh my gosh, I am SO SORRY. I hope I didn’t hurt you; that was entirely my fault-” 

Pine’s eyes flicked up as they realized that long fingers, tipped with pointed, well-manicured nails had carefully wrapped around their elbow, guiding them up as they righted themself. A tall, dark-skinned man, with long, ebony hair tied at the base of his neck stared down at them. A thin, silver and wooden walking cane was held in his opposite hand; a thick, perfectly groomed beard finishing his coiffed appearance. 

Jesus, just who had they steam-rolled over? They silently hoped he didn’t make them pay to get his suit cleaned because just his coat looked like it was worth their entire life savings. Was it vintage??

The man cleared his throat, pulling them from their thoughts. 

Pine shook their head dumbly. 

“I’m sorry, what?”

The man smirked, chuckling lowly. He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket, suddenly holding out a peppermint stick to them as he repeated himself. “I said you should pay attention to where you’re going. You’re quite out of it.” 

Pine swallowed thickly, nodding at the statement as they barely kept their tears from spilling over. Some part of their mind lingered on his accent, wondering if he was visiting family. It wasn’t often they encountered someone with such a thick German accent, even in a busy area like this, with the university so nearby.

They thanked the man for the peppermint stick, shoving it in their pocket as they muttered a quiet excuse about needing to meet their friend before they hurried out of sight. Shame and anxiety burned like hot coals on their cheeks, trying to erase the entire encounter from their memory. It figures that one one of the worst days of their life they would feel like a little bug in front of someone who looked like he belonged to another class entirely. And to be talked to like a child, on top of it all! How wretched… they must have looked like an idiot. 

Slapping their cheeks, Pine let out a deep breath, counting the steps they took, desperate to change their train of thought as they walked. As they neared their apartment, another text notification buzzed on their phone. Their attention quirked as they remembered the previously forgotten message, silently cursing their forgetfulness. 

Tugging it out and clicking the button on the side of the device, the screen flickered to life, revealing a series of messages from a friend of theirs. 

**Anne: u free? i need my fave bestie to help me play santa’s little helper b4 R0N (ew) brings the kids back from his wk w them**

****

**Anne: i’ll luv u 4vr**

**Anne: plz?**

**Anne: cmon i know ur on lunch by now,, txt me hot stuff. I need a hot elf to help me in exchange 4 shitty cooking**

Pine’s footsteps stopped, the tears in their ears brimming for a moment as they tilted their head back, focusing on the feeling of the warm sun combined with the bitter cold kissing their cheeks. The ache at the base of their skull continued to bloom, spreading slightly. Lifting their coat sleeve, their rubbed their face, ridding themself of the slight dampness as they took a breath. Forcing a smile, they looked up at the large apartment building, eyeing their floor and spying their window for a moment. With a sigh, they pulled out their phone and texted the woman back, letting her know she’d meet her for lunch at the usual place, and ride back to the house with her to help out. 

Giving her apartment one final forlorn glance over her shoulder, they muttered to themself, “Well, I can go home later… better than being alone anyway, right?... Yeah… Yeah…”

Little did Pine know that ‘helping out’ ended up turning into a bigger ordeal than they had anticipated. As Anne was, regretfully, prone to doing, she had postponed getting any of the holiday decorating or prepping done that she had planned on doing during the week that her lecherous ex-husband had custody of their three children. This meant that she and Pine were left with only an evening to go pick up a tree, hang lights on the little suburban house, wrap presents, and set up other various decor. Of course, dealing with the tree alone was a nightmare in and of itself, seeing as Pine, ironically… was allergic to pine trees. But. At least the kids would have an ‘authentic Christmas’. Pine couldn’t help but roll their tired eyes. They loved Anne dearly but she could be a little… dramatic, occasionally. 

Hours later, full of allergy medication, and covered in hives, the tree was set. 

With a combined effort, the duo managed to get the house lights up and lit just in time for night to fall, and just in time for dear old Ron to drive up, kids in toe. 

Itchy, anxious, and tired, Pine let out a guilty breath of relief. Putting the ladder away in the small garage, they made their way to their old friend, eager to get a discrete word in. At least with the chaos of the kids home, their final projects and the mountain of gift wrapping would have to wait. They’d simply offer to come back another day and-

Just as Pine tapped Anne’s shoulder, a screaming 6 year old yanking on her sleeve, the woman whipped around, relief on her face. 

“Oh, thank God, Pine…” 

The ginger leaned in closer so the small child begging for her attention wouldn’t hear her. 

“Look, I’ve already got all of the toys stacked up in the spare bedroom. Do you mind wrapping them while I make dinner? I’ll distract the kids so they don’t even know you’re here.” 

Pine’s heart sank, their shoulders sagging slightly. Despite the tired ache growing within them, their smile never waned. If anything, it widened slightly. Reaching out, they gave the taller woman a tight hug before leaning down to give the young boy a kiss on the forehead. 

“Yeah, no problem. I can take care of that for you, Anney.” 

The thankful squeeze and smile they got in return made guilt swell within Pine’s gut. They shouldn’t feel resentment over helping their friend. She needed this help… so why did it make their insides feel so rotten?

Plodding down the hall, Pine slipped into the spare room: a small, sparsely decorated bedroom they were already well familiar with thanks to many sleepovers with their friend. Sure enough, piled high atop the small daybed was a stack of toys and books, next to an assortment of ornate wrapping paper. 

Sighing softly, Pine slipped their heavy coat from their shoulders, sitting down cross-legged in the middle of the mess before them and setting to work. 

Hours later, well into the night, Pine found themself clambering out of a ride-share and into the bitter cold. When they had finally finished the daunting task, only falling victim to scissors or paper cuts twice, they exited the room to find all three of the kids had long since gone to bed; their friend had offered to feed them, having saved a portion of dinner as she had promised in exchange for the help and labor upon seeing them. Pine politely declined though, making an excuse that they needed to get home, to which the woman tried to get them to stay the night, instead of leaving at such a late hour. But Pine couldn’t impose… they were just… so tired, and needed to leave. To go home. Today had worn them down so utterly raw… They again made an excuse and whisked their way out before the woman could try to convince them otherwise. 

Which is what led them here… standing outside their apartment building, looking up at the many stories above them with tired, haunted eyes. The bitter cold left them numb, their outsides quickly becoming as dead to the feeling as their insides had been becoming. For the thousandth time that day, a sigh left their lips. 

Shoving achy fingers into their pockets, they turned towards the entrance to the shabby complex and began to trek towards the entrance. With each step closer, realization began to dawn on them that the sound of… what was that? 

Pine paused, their shoes squishing and crunching against a slushy of brown ice on the concrete as they stopped to listen closer, their attention focusing wholeheartedly. 

As quickly as the sound had started though, it seemed to stop, carried away by the wind. 

Looking around, Pine squinted, mumbling. “What the fuck was that?” 

Taking another few steps down the sidewalk, the sound rang in Pine’s ears again, louder and more distinct this time.

Freezing in their tracks, they looked up and down the relatively quiet street. Only the normal bustle of city nightlife… nothing out of the usual catching their eye. So why did that sound like bells and… chains? 

They let out a forced huff of a laugh. 

“I-I’m going bonkers! W-what the hell??”

Hurrying their pace, they paced towards the double doors again. So close. If they could just make it inside… Yeah. That was all. 

The sound of tinkling bells and chains rattling filled the air the moment they began to step towards the door again, spurring them into a sprint. 

6ft. 

3ft. 

They just had to reach out and grab the-

Suddenly Pine’s foot skirted on a patch of slush, their stomach jumping into their throat as gravity turned them upside down. The world as they knew it went ass up. They sucked in a breath, closing their eyes tight as they waited for the familiar feeling of cold, wet concrete. 

Suddenly the sound of bells and chains gew louder than before, surrounding them completely as a cold chill run down their spine. 

After a moment of waiting for the impact to come… they realized it never did. 

A familiar, thick german accent tutted in feigned annoyance, presumably at them. 

“We really have to stop running into each other like this. Didn’t I tell you to pay attention to where you’re going? Or are you just always like this?”

Pine’s eyes flew open, bulging at the sight that greeted them. What could only be described as… a demonic looking satyr currently held them by their sleeve, keeping them held mid-air. They gulped, swallowing the lump in their throat as their eyes searched their savior, processing the sight of him. At least they assumed it was a him. 

Long, goatlike ears and tall, winding horns graced his head, catching their attention. Looking down, they realized his form was bare, except for metal cuffs around his wrists, adorned in bells, that had long chains trailing from them. A single strap across his chest held a large, woven basket to his back. Coarse, black fur coated strong goat legs, forearms, and long, sweeping tail; It matched his long, wild mane of hair and short, thick beard perfectly. Pine squinted at the pointed beard before their stare flicked to his golden, goatlike gaze, recognition flickering in their own face as they gasped. 

“H-holy shit! W-what are you?” 

The creature hoisted them up with a single hand, catching them in his arm as he looked down into their face and chuckled, lowering himself and perching onto their building’s rooftop in a rather gargoyle-esque manner. Pine fought down a blush, solely from the fact of being amazed at being man-handled in such a manner. They were far from a small person, being quite happy with their fat body. But that didn’t mean they were ‘used’ to being lifted like they were nothing. 

They blinked at the creature again, swallowing down their anxiety in lieu of their curiosity, any ounce of tiredness temporarily forgotten. Before they could get the words out, the goat-man spoke up, his deep voice catching them off guard.

“Now. Do you have someone at home? Somewhere I should drop you off?” 

Pine could feel their brain literally lock up at the question. Did… this satyr? Goatman? Demon? Ask where their house was? Yup, they had officially gone off the deep end. 

They weakly pointed at their window and started to dumbly mumbled. “I, uh… live in 16D? I… live alone?” 

The creature frowned at them, the lines in his face deepening in what seemed to be either thought or disappointment. They weren’t sure which. Silence hung in the air for a few awkward moments as the creature hummed to himself, until he stood up, his face turning to one of satisfied resolve. 

“Well, that’s not going to do at all. I haven’t seen a human take such terrible care of themselves in awhile. You’re a disaster; you can’t be left alone. And since I can’t stay gone… you’ll just have to come along.” 

Before Pine could argue, the creature began to hoist them over his shoulder, forcing them into the basket on his back. He couldn’t POSSIBLY think they were going to FIT could he?

As if he could read their thoughts, the thick voice resounded to them. “Sorry if it’s a bit snug. Give it a minute. Magick. It has been a few decades since it’s seen anyone in it though.” A sing-song tone filled his voice, as if he were fondly remembering the instances as he mentioned them. Horrified curiosity filled Pine for a moment. Sure enough though, within moments, the basket seemed to accommodate them perfectly where they were curled up on his back. 

Realization set in as the creature’s hooves began to click along the rooftop, the sound of bells and chains filling the air. They shouted out, an arm reaching up and trying to grap around his shoulder. 

“W-wait! W-where are you taking me?!”

Cold air swirled around them, the sound of chains and bells merging into a ghostly howl for a moment, so overwhelmingly loud that Pine had to cover their ears. They clenched their eyes at the force of the wind, their own hair and the creatures whipping around in the flurry. 

As quickly as the noise and chaos had picked up, an eerie silence settled around them. 

Pine opened their eyes, their mouth falling open in shock as they realized they were standing before a large snowy home. Everywhere around them was snowy mountain peaks and wilderness as far as the eye could see. 

The booming voice laughed loudly at their reaction, pulling them from the basket and placing them on the thick snow next to the entrance with a crunch. 

“To my home, of course.” 

Opening the massive, wooden door, the creature stepped inside the stone building, not large enough to call a castle, but far too large to be simply a house or ‘home’. It almost seemed to be carved directly into the cliffs of the mountain itself. 

Pine slid their hand along the outer wall, feeling the cold rock as they realized it, in fact, was-

Their jaw still slack, they stumbled into the home, watching the creature snap his fingers. At the sound, a large, black cat opened sleepy eyes from the dark fireplace. Blinking for a moment, the creature yawned before rising to all fours, stretching deeply. As the feline began to circle around the fireplace again, kneading its toes in the soot, red embers sparked around it, the familiar red heat working its way slowly up the creature’s legs. Pine’s eyes widened as the entire creature began to glow, yellow and orange heat emanating from within it for a moment until the creature burst into flames, startling them enough to make them jump. The long fur along the creature suddenly became various shades of yellow and white, its eyes bored as it laid down again in the fireplace, warmth already beginning to emanate through the room from the small animal. 

Pine gaped, turning their attention from the mesmerizing animal and towards the other creature that had brought them to this strange place to begin with. 

“Who are you? Why did you bring me here?” 

The goatman briefly looked over his shoulder before turning on his heel, a smirk playing at his lips as he crossed his arms, his long tail swaying behind him before curling around a cloven ankle. His eyebrow quirked slightly at the question, the only hint at annoyance, as if the answers to the questions should have been obvious, but that he was far too happy to answer them anyway. 

“Child… I am Krampus; The Lord of Yule. Punisher of all who have misbehaved...And I’m going to make you take care of yourself.”


	2. Make Him The Cutest That I've Ever Seen

Pine blinked dumbly at the creature that had so proudly announced himself as the demon of lore mere moments ago. Taking a breath, they paused to touch their knuckle to their lips. Tired brows pressed together as they tried to process if they had heard him accurately, deciphering if he was serious. 

Looking up to the glowing, golden eyes, their voice faltered in suspicion-tinted disbelief. 

“So… you’re…. KRAMPUS. Like… went around beating kids’ asses to make them behave? Stuff them in your sack and eat them? Drag them to hell? Horny goat man reverse Santa?” 

A thick, black brow quirked in exasperation at the question. Offense tinted his expression as the tap of a hoof on the stone floor vaguely echoed around them. “Quite a long time ago, yes. It feels like it has been a millennium since then. It wasn’t as if I would drag binty lil children down, oh no. And don’t even get me started on Nikolas, that fat old Arsch… though to be fair to him, his situation is no better than my own these days…” 

By now the creature had started pacing, one hand waving in the air as he had begun to babble and rant. Pine’s confusion grew as they realized they had unintentionally stepped on a landmine. 

They had planned to interject when suddenly the creature whipped around again, leaning down to look into their eyes from mere inches away. 

“Honestly, I don’t know why it’s so hard to accept.” 

Pine swallowed, formulating their answer before finally speaking up.”Okay but… why me?”

Krampus stood to his full height before smiling wickedly, sharp teeth making his hospitable grin come off more predatory than he… probably intended. 

“Now that is a much better question, Liebling.” 

Pacing into the cozy living space, he made his way to the fireplace, leaning down towards the fiery cat lounging within it. Grabbing a fist-sized bundle of kindling from the woodstack nearby, he held it over the feline, letting it bat at it; with each touch, tiny flames licked up the sticks until the creature dropped the kindling down to the feline below to gnaw on. 

Turning his head to face the human again, Krampus began again, waving a hand towards one of the cozy-looking chairs, far too large for a human, but perfectly sized for himself. 

“You see, mien Kiefer, tonight was the night of Krampuslauf, a tradition going back years upon years, nearly as old as I am.” The creature winked. “Not as old, of course, but not many things are.” 

“Now, as I was saying… from the night of Krampuslauf, the ‘Krampus Run’ until the Eve of Yule, I can…” Clawed hands waved before him as he paused, formulating the words. As he settled on them, his eyes met Pine’s, adjusting slightly so he was crouching in front of them. “Between these nights is when I can roam freely with the most ease. I am not bound to one place. My home. So I was out, ‘stretching my legs’ while I worked, so to say, when I stumbled across you.” 

Pine’s stare flicked over the hulking figure, noticing how he tried to make himself less imposing as he spoke in depth now, explaining himself. They squinted slightly, the headache from before starting to return now that the sense of being overwhelmed was beginning to wane. “Okay, I think I follow… but, that doesn’t explain WHY.” 

Krampus tilted his head at them, giving them an exasperated look. “Mien Kiefer, you may not be a child, but taking such terrible care of yourself is in itself an act of violence. How could I not interject?”

Sighing loudly, Pine’s shoulders sagged. Resting their elbows on their knees, they cradled their face in their hands. Between pain, exhaustion, and an unwillingness to fight, their mind was clouded beyond belief. 

“I don’t have much choice do I?” 

Krampus grinned wickedly, his eyes glinting in the firelight. “You will always have a choice. But if you trust me, you will benefit from it.” 

Pine’s brows raised for a moment, scoffing awkwardly before popping up to their full height and clapping their hands together. 

“So! What the hell am I supposed to even do here? I don’t… I don’t know what I’m doing here…” 

Krampus laughed to himself as he rose in turn, loosely grabbing their wrist and raising their arm above them. Carefully grabbing their chin, he tilted their head, exposing their cheek and neck, inspecting it, as well as the exposed portion of their wrist and arm. 

“To start with, I think a bath should do.”

Definitely, Pine stuck their nose up at the demon. “Are you saying I stink?!” 

Krampus froze, glancing at them with a dead stare before tugging their sleeve up to show their irritated skin. The rash from dealing with their friend’s christmas tree was still bright and angry, despite having taken some medicine already to help with the swelling. 

Pine sunk slightly, their face reddening as realization dawned on them. 

“A-ah… okay.” 

Krampus chuckled slightly at the abashed look, letting them go before beginning to lead the way through his home. Barely sparing a glance over his shoulder, he asked the question that had worked its way into his mind. 

“Just how did you let yourself go so bad that you got to this point? I mean, stress rashes?” 

Pine’s face flushed darker, their ears redder than cherries. “U-uhm… it’s not from-” Their voice faded into a quiet mutter as they hid into their sweater. 

Krampus stopped in his tracks, turning to look at them as he tried to decipher the muffled garble. 

“It’s not what? Speak up, little human.” 

Pine’s cheeks puffed out in frustration, standing rigid as they stared up at the creature. 

“It’s not that. I helped my friend with her Christmas tree… I’m uh… I’m allergic.” 

Krampus stood in silence, letting the admission process for a moment before uproarious laughter spilled from his lips, leaving him curled over, one clawed hand braced against the stone wall nearby to keep himself upright. 

As the creature finally caught his breath, he wiped a tear from his eye, a final chortle working its way out of him, despite Pine’s displeased face. “Oh, the irony is too rich, mein Kiefer.” 

Pouting slightly, Pine crossed their arms and grumbled. “I’m glad one of us finds it amusing… Just point me to the shower, you old goat.” 

The demon snorted in amusement at the weak jab, turning his face to hide his grin. Wrapping his hand on the ancient door handle, he opened the door before them to reveal a massive stone chamber. Inside, a deep tub-like bath was cut into the floor, a set of steps leading into the overly large area. To the right, a lion’s head faucet gaped, waiting to be used, near a carved ledge, with various glittering bottles and soaps. 

Pine’s jaw dropped as they took in the fantastical bathroom. “H-holy shit?” 

Krampus snickered behind them, speaking up and pulling them from their shock. 

“I do believe a soak will do you much better… the point of this is to take your time, after all.” He paused. “Ease your weary bones and your… hard earned nettle-rash. Take the time to let it soak in. There’s no rush, after all.” 

A large hand gently curled over their shoulder, giving the human a slight nudge into the dimly lit room. Pine looked up and over them, towards the demon, feeling rather flabbergasted. 

“O-okay…”

“I recommend the purple glass, by the way; it’s a bubble bath that should do the job perfectly.” 

Pine stiffened, their footsteps stopping as they swallowed. Of course they were being treated ‘girly’ right off the bat… without turning around, they bit out harshly. 

“I don’t need a bubble bath. It’s fine. I’m not some girl.” They hissed out the word slightly. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, the thick voice responded. 

“So? I never said you were, dumme Sache. I’m thousands of years old and revel in them myself. Get in already.” 

The feeling of something light but strong shoved Pine further into the room, making them lose balance and tumble in, barely catching their balance as they realized that the demon had…. A pretty good point. And had validated them in a way they didn’t realize they had needed. 

“I… I guess you’re right. Okay… thanks… I’ll do that.” 

Krampus smiled slightly to himself, his tail flicking back towards his body, slipping to the door handle and pulling the heavy door closed with a loud creak as he left the rubenesque human to themselves. He certainly had his work cut out for him… they were not only overworked, but their mindset was terrible… he silently wondered if it was a recurring issue, or if it was something that was rearing its head because of their burned out state. 

He would find out soon enough, he thought to himself. 

Grabbing some plush towels, he laid them out along the mantle of the fireplace. Grinning softly to himself, he pulled some herbs from a pouch nearby and sprinkled them around the feline there, the creature’s eyes going wide in excitement as it began to nip and snuffle at the bit of ash as the dried leaves turned to embers. The corner of Krampus’ mouth curled up higher, chuckling to himself as the soothing scent of the aromatic herbs began to fill the home. Glancing at the towels, he reached down and gave the cat a scritch along it’s chin, the place he touched turning cool to the touch as he made contact. 

“Finish warming these for me, will you, Eysa? I have to get things ready.”

Pine reclined in the massive tub, letting out what must have been the thousandth groan as the warmth from the waters soaked into their tired muscles. Tired fingers subconsciously traced over their faint top surgery scars, out of sheer habit, their eyes closing. 

Sure enough, the contents of the purple glass container seemed to sooth the deepest aches in Pine’s body. Aches long forgotten, because they had simply… become the ‘norm’. Combined with the room to stretch out, parts of them unwound that hadn’t un-tensed in so long, they had forgotten what it felt like to relax. They were pretty sure they were going to turn into jelly and dissolve into the bathwater. Heat made their skin flush, their heart-rate heavy and pulsing visibly in their chest in a strangely comforting way. A reminder that they were alive, despite it all.

The feeling of water touching their ears and nose as they sunk down again, dozing slightly in the water startled them, making them jolt upwards. Their eyes flicked to the lion’s head faucet, hyper-focusing on a droplet of water rolling off its tongue before plicking into the water. 

Actually… how long had they been soaking in here? There wasn’t exactly a clock around…

They eyed their phone, across the room, and groaned, not wanting to leave the warmth of the water. Pulling a hand from the water, they inspected their skin, seeing that it was pruned beyond belief. Sighing, they let themselves sink below the water, fully submerging for a moment before heading to the steps and rising from the tub. Long enough, they guessed…

Shivering for a moment, they hugged their bare form, looking around for something to dry off with. Glancing by the entrance, their gaze stopped on a chair that had been placed next to the door. Atop the wooden seat, a stack of fluffy looking towels waited for them. 

“Oh, nice…” 

Quickly scurrying over to the pile, Pine snatched the one from the top, quickly registering how warm it felt in their hands. A primal, satisfied groan escaped them as they shoved their face into it. 

“Oh my god, it’s warm.” 

Quickly grabbing the other towel, they wrapped themselves up, savoring every ounce of warmth they could soak up from the cloth as they dried off. 

“This is amazing… I never want to dry off with cold towels again…”

Pausing, they pulled the towel from around their shoulders and shove their face into it, taking a deep breath before sighing. “Oh my gosh, and it smells good, how extra is this bastard… Krampus my ass, is he running a spa?”

Chucking to themself, now that they were much warmer and fully dry, they redressed quickly, choosing to nix the thick coat and boots they had been wearing before. Their fatigue was beginning to truly wear at them, if they were being honest with themselves, but their curiosity about the demon waiting on the other side of the door was only growing now. 

Finally leaving the chamber, they wandered through the hall, poking their head in various rooms until the familiar black hair caught their attention. Krampus looked up from what he was doing as he heard the heavy door creak slightly, catching sight of the small human. 

“Ah, finally done, hm? Good. I was beginning to worry you’d drowned. Perfect timing though, I just finished.” 

Pine slipped through the crack of the large door, the stone floor cold against their socked feet as they pattered closer. “As if… I’m pretty sure you could hold the olympics in your bathroom though. So, just finished what?” 

Dark hair bobbed as the demon nodded towards the, unsurprisingly, massive bed next to him. It was almost nest-like in appearance, with heavy drapes surrounding the back and sides. Fresh looking linens were among various pillows in the space of the bed. Velvety greens and golds lined the folds of the much too fancy arrangements, despite the ruffled appearance. 

“It’ll be a bit before a guest room isn’t in disrepair. Until then, use mine. Time to get some rest.”

Pine blinked, pointing at the bed. “You… you’re putting me to bed…” 

Krampus smirked, fighting down a chuckle. “Your dark circles have dark circles… so, yes. You won’t be able to do anything if you’re exhausted. Am I wrong?” 

Huffing loudly, Pine crossed their arms defiantly. “Oh, hell no. I agreed to taking a bath because, sure, I needed that. And yeah, okay, I’m tired but why would I sleep… in YOUR bed, of all places, when I could be getting things I need to DONE?” 

A dejected sigh left the creature’s mouth as he rubbed his chin, his fingers scratching through his neat beard. 

“I had a feeling you would act this way… you do realize you’re so fatigued you’re not making sound decisions, correct? Well… remember I said you always have a choice?”

Pine nodded, defiance melding into confusion. 

A slight look of apology crossed Krampus’ face as he crouched down, reaching outwards and flicking a bit of fine, powdery dust into their face. “That was a bit of a fib. We’ll talk again after a brief nap.” 

Reaching an arm out, he caught the human as their eyes fluttered closed, their body collapsing as sleep overwhelmed them quickly, pulling them in so deeply that a small snore already threatened to work it’s way from their body. Picking them up with ease, the demon tucked them into the waiting bedding, muttering to himself in his native tongue. 

Rolling over, the feel of soft, silky fabric rubbed against Pine’s face, their body tangling in unfamiliar sheets. Sitting up, they smacked their lips as they yawned loudly, stretching their arms out until a satisfying crack resounded from one of their shoulders. Rubbing the sleep from their eyes, they blinked around the warm, dimly lit room, their mind still fuzzy from sleep and muddled with confusion as they vaguely realized they weren’t in their own bed. 

“Wh-where am-” 

Their eyes slid over a wingback chair across the room, a familiar, hoofed creature sitting in it as he whittled a piece of wood with his claws. The warm glow of a familiar firelight danced over him from nearby, the large, flaming cat lounging near his feet and playing with bits of wood shavings as he could drop them on the stone. Without even turning to look at them, his voice resounded, clear as a bell, pulling them from their sleepy brain fog. “Did you have a good rest, mein Kiefer?” 

Pine launched themself upright, sitting on their knees as they pointed a finger at him accusingly. 

“Wait a minute… You **roofied** me!” 

Krampus’ fingers stopped their motions as he turned his head to look at them, his bored stare far from amused. 

“I did not. I _sedated_ you.” 

Pine’s arms crossed over their puffed up chest, returning his stare. 

“Big difference.” 

The demon rose onto his hind legs, his tail swaying in annoyance as he quickly closed the gap, his stride firm. 

“Yes. There is, seeing as I only had, and still have your best interest at heart… you feel better. Am I wrong?” 

He leaned over them, mirroring their pose as he towered over them. 

Pine faltered, doing a quick mental evaluation of themself to note that they did indeed feel better… hell, more rested than they had in a long time. They really did need the sleep, damn it all. Not that they wanted to admit he was right. 

Lowering their arms, they sighed, nodding. 

“Yeah, I do… you’re right. I’m sorry… Just how long was I asleep?” 

Pulling out their phone from their pocket, they proceeded to count backwards on their fingers, muttering with relief that they had only dozed for 6 hours at least. 

Krampus chuckled above them for a moment before holding up three long fingers, inches from their face. 

“30. Not 6.” 

Pine blinked, their mouth starting to gape before they grabbed their phone again, checking the date to see that indeed, they had slept the entire day. 

“I WHAt? How could you let me sleep that long?!” 

The demon laughed again, louder this time as he sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back on his hand as he pulled out a small satchel. 

“You clearly needed to catch up, with just how hard you were sleeping. I told you, there is no rush. Rest. Follow your body’s queues. It will tell you what it needs…” The corner of his mouth quirked as he raised the small bag, dangling it slightly. “Though to be fair, this did give you a headstart.” 

Scooting over until they were sitting flush against the creature, their pant leg barely touching the black fur of his own, Pine glared suspiciously at the bag. 

“Alright, I’ll bite. What is it?” 

Krampus chortled, opening the top to give a glance at shimmering, sand-colored dust within. “Sleeping sands. Courtesy of an acquaintance. He left me with a personal supply as an apology after an ‘incident’ a few hundred years back, that left me… _out of commission_ for a few decades. A shot makes a year go by in a blink.”

Winking down at the human briefly, clawed hands quickly began to tie the bag tight again, hiding it away. 

Pine’s mind turned over the information as they connected the dots of what the mythological figure had just said. Holding a hand out, a finger drawing out the connections as they mentally made them, their voice faintly stumbled from their lips. 

“So… you... people don’t think you’re real… because you disappeared for years… because you were in a coma?” 

Krampus’ face as the human voiced their thoughts turned to sheer agony. His brows knit together as an exasperated noise worked it’s way from his mouth before he could stop himself. Part of him was impressed with the fact that they had figured out as much, weary by the fact that they were treading so close to his truth. But the rest of him felt nothing but chagrin over how they’d shown his entire ass. He didn’t like remembered being young and stupid. 

“Did you have to say it like that? But… yes.” 

Pine mulled over it for a moment longer, wanting to press the creature further, when they noticed the slightest flick of motion out of their peripheral vision. Glancing down, they realized the demon had begun to fiddle with the wooden block he was whittling at. 

Both from being a counselor, and from their own anxiety and need to fiddle when they were anxious, they knew right away what the fidgeting meant. Smiling softly, they reached over and grabbed the much larger hand, giving it a squeeze. Turning their smile up towards the demon’s face, and watching his golden eyes carefully, they began to clamber from the bed, tugging him along with them. 

“Come on. This is supposed to be about self care, right? Well, I haven’t eaten in like 2 days now… and I don’t know when the last time you ate was.” 

Krampus followed the human, letting them tug him by the hand. Catching the gentle look on their features, he was unable to fight a smile of his own from crossing his face. Nodding, he mentally thanked them for changing topics, fully aware that they had both felt the shift in their atmosphere. 

“Alright. It’s been centuries since I’ve cooked for more than myself. Let alone a human… you’ll have to give me some leniency-”

Pine suddenly whipped around, slapping both hands on the demon’s mouth with a smirk. 

“Nope! I refuse!” 

Krampus’ brows rose in confusion, freezing in his steps as he squinted down at the human curiously. Without moving their hands, he circled his hand in a ‘go ahead’ motion, silently requesting further explanation. 

Removing their hands from the taller creature’s mouth, Pine’s grin widened. 

“Well, we both feel like shit. I’m not as dead tired anymore. I happen to love to cook. You want me to self care? Let me cook for you. Er, for us!” 

Plump cheeks flushed at the stumble, pink dusting their ears as they coughed into their fist. 

Musing briefly on the proposal, unable to deny his own eagerness, Krampus nodded in response as he held out an arm, showing the way to the kitchen. If they cherished the activity, it would be good for them, afterall. It would be against the very reason he brought them here to not give them that much. 

As the demon kept in stride beside the human, a long, winding tail made curling sweeps with each step, betraying the depth of his thoughts as he trailed along.


	3. I Heard The Bells

Nimble fingers combed through freshly trimmed hair as Pine surveyed the new haircut in the bathroom mirror. The corners of their mouth steadily turned upwards until a full-blown grin spread across their face; short, fluffy, silver locks adorned their head now, replacing the dingy, outgrown style from months before. 

Over the past weeks, their energy, and in turn, their mood and motivation had steadily been building. As it had, they had taken on the task of fixing their hair color, and eventually, even daring a shorter cut. A deep, heaving sigh escaped them, their shoulders drooping slightly as if a weight had released from them. 

They were loathe to admit it, but that feeling was becoming more prominent lately. Each little thing they did felt like it was slowly chipping away at a sagging weight that had been pulling them down, dragging their very soul down with it. A little bit of rest, and a lot of being reminded to love themself… being prompted to do things like this… They eyed the crisp trim, their eyes sparkling with excitement as they ran their fingers through it again, excitedly. Indeed… they felt like a flicker of happiness and peace had been rekindled in them. 

The mythical creature who had instigated their entire transformation came to mind, making their chest swell and their stomach flutter. They’d have to thank him… 

“Maybe I’ll make those spiced tarts he likes with dinner tonight. Or some hot toddies…” 

As if on cue, the faint sounds of iron chains clinked in passing, the sound of bells and hooves on stone accompanying them. Pine’s eyes closed for a moment, listening as the creature walked past the room calmly. Once the noise had faded, their eyes opened, letting out a tiny breath they hadn't realized they had been holding. The sound of Krampus navigating the stone-laden home had become a thing of comfort to the human, for some strange reason. 

Not giving it any further thought, Pine left the bathroom, making their way towards the large master bedroom. Despite the initial promise of another room, the creature never kicked Pine from the massive bed. In fact, he never seemed to sleep, strangely enough, always busying himself around the home or reclining in one of his favored chairs to whittle away the night. 

Upon entering, a small package rest near the foot of the bed, catching Pine’s attention immediately. 

Pattering over to it, they picked it up, inspecting the neatly wrapped present. 

Simple, brown paper covered a medium parcel, with twine tied around it, holding a sprig of pine leaves to a tag that read, “Empty lanterns provide no light. Good job letting your light rekindle. It is a beautiful flame.” 

Chuckling, Pine fought back the smile cracking their face as they carefully used a finger to open the creases of the paper. Either he had taken extreme care in wrapping it, or had somehow had help… it would be a shame to ruin it. 

The paper placed to the side, they peaked inside the box to pull out the first item: a small, hand carved wooden goat figure, posed on a cliff’s edge. The intricate detail made Pine stop and gape, inspecting it as they turned it over in their fingers, tracing their fingers over the fine details. As they did, realization dawned on them, a small snort of a laugh escaping them, soon escalating into full, rolling belly laughs. 

“Oh, that old goat! Well, at least I know you can take it in stride. I will never forget you-” 

Another snort of a laugh escaped them as they realized the words that left their mouth, the realization that their arrangement couldn’t last forever flickering in their mind and making them freeze. A cold sweat broke out over their skin, anxiety bubbling up in their throat. Shaking their head, they smiled wide, placing the wooden figurine on the bed next to them as they shoved the thought to the back of their mind. They’d deal with that thought when it had to be dealt with- 

Reaching into the box again, they pulled out a red, long sleeve shirt, made from a soft, textured fabric. Along with it, a pair of pajama shorts in plaid, matching fabric accompanied it. Rubbing the material against their cheek they smiled, closing their eyes. 

“Ohhhhh, I liiiiike… so comfy…” 

Peaking into the box, they found a pair of fluffy, thick knee high socks to match. 

“Oh score. These babies are getting put on right away.” 

Without a moment’s hesitation, Pine tore off their clothes, tossing them wherever they may land, and began to pull on the enticing new pajamas, eager to envelope themselves in the sensory heaven. Sure enough, within moments of finishing tugging the socks on and completing the outfit, Pine flopped backwards onto the plush bed, smiling wide as a satisfied groan left their mouth. 

“I have never loved pajamas more in my LIFE…” 

“I’m glad you like them.” 

Pine jolted up, pointing at the entrance to the room, their heart pounding against their ribs as the voice startled them from their euphoric state. 

“YOU.”

Krampus stood in the doorway, smirking down at the human, fighting down a chuckle at the started human. “Me?”

Pine huffed slightly, their heart rate beginning to wane after the initial shock. 

“I told you to STOP jump scaring me!” 

Sharp teeth glinted as the creature laughed, his nose scrunching. “I’m sorry, mein Kiefer. You just have such fun reactions. Plus, it’s good to keep your blood pumping.” 

Fighting down a laugh of their own, damn his infectiousness, Pine frowned as best as they could. “That doesn't mean give me a heart attack-”

The sound of hooves on stone echoed through the room as Krampus paced into the room, closing the gap between the two of them in a few short strides. Tilting his head to the side, he glanced over the latest change in the human’s appearance, pondering on it briefly. 

Pine’s eyebrows rose, waiting for some form of response as Krampus eyed them in his peculiar manner. Instead, they blinked in confusion when he finally broke the silence lingering between them. 

“It looks good, you know. It was a good choice.” 

Pine felt their neck and ears heat up, a deep flush masking their face. Their hands absentmindedly began to tug at the long sleeve’s ends. 

“Well, I mean… you picked it out… Thank you, by the way. It’s really comfy. It’s nice to have something warm that… well, doesn’t drive me nuts sensory-wise.”

Golden eyes blinked down at the human in confusion for a moment, taking in the flush and processing their words before chuckling lowly. Raising one large hand, he let a long, black talon linger over a lock of pristine, white hair, the stark contrast of the dark red and black of his skin against the pale splendor giving him pause. 

Smiling gently down at them, his voice lowered, the rumbling timbre shaking them to their core. 

“I meant your hair, mein Kiefer… It suits you. It is like the first snow…” 

Pine’s flush deepened for a moment as they made a conscious effort to swallow the dryness in their throat. 

“Oh.” 

A single golden eye lolled down to glance at them before sparing a wink, faster than they could be sure it really happened. 

“The night clothes do suit you, too, though; I had a feeling they would. Wearing a favorite set of comfortable clothes is also a way to self care, so I’m glad it worked out, in the end~”

The way the creature purred the words made a shiver run down Pine’s back, making them wonder if that had really been his sole reason for the gift. Before they could work up the nerve to ask, they jolted to their feet, nearly knocking both of them over in the process. 

Holding their hands out in apology, they smiled weakly. “Well, I’m going to do just that then. I’m, uh, gunna go read. I’ll see you later!” 

Without waiting to give the creature time to respond, they darted away, their chest pounding as they gathered their thoughts and breath. 

Later that evening, Pine found themself curled up on the floor of the main hall, the primary room when they had first come in, as they had learned Krampus called it. Lounging comfortably upon only a pile of blankets for some support, they found they had taken to the spot for reading from Krampus’ extensive library. Less than half of the books were in a English, let alone in a modern enough version for them to understand, but they found themselves pouring through the collection like it was an addiction. 

Initially they worried that the floor would grow cold quickly, but found that the fiery little feline of a fire-elemental took a liking to them, and would curl up nearby on the stone floor, just close enough to keep away the chill. Out of curiosity, when Krampus wasn’t nearby, so he wouldn’t mock them of course, they braved the idea of trying to pet the creature. Interestingly enough, whenever they went to place a hand on the creature, the fire along its body would part and extinguish, it’s body only holding a comfortable warmth wherever their fingers scratched. 

Ever since they had dared the affection and had continued to give the creature pets and scratches when it stared at them longingly, it had followed them around, curling up within a few feet upon the stone floor and warming the room as it purred away. 

So there Pine and the creature lay, as had become routine, enjoying their companionable silence while Pine read. 

The heavy feeling of drooping eyes overwhelmed the human, sleep pulling Pine into its comfortable embrace, when the familiar sound of jingling bells and iron alerted them to Krampus nearing. Sure enough, the feeling of darkness overwhelmed them moments later, their eyes opening to the menacing figure. Pine opened their mouth to ask the creature what was wrong, when he sat near them, making himself comfortable on the floor among the blankets, his legs stretched out before him. 

Pine sat up, their gaze searching him up and down, taking in every detail of his posture curiously. He seemed off… Slapping the book shut, they tucked it under the edge of the blanket. 

Fully sitting up, Pine crossed their legs, placing a hand on each knee as they fought down the instinctual anxiety building in them. They silently hoped it wasn’t confrontation, even though the logic part of their brain knew there was no way it would be. 

“Alright, you’re weird. I feel it in your posture. You want to talk. Please just cough up whatever it is now or my anxiety will eat me alive.” 

Krampus blinked in confusion at the human for a moment before sighing slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smile as he shook his head. 

“Calm down, little human. I don’t mean to make you anxious. I only want to talk. Are you up to that right now?” 

Anxiety bubbled up in their stomach, the taste of bile on the back of their tongue. Forcing a smile onto their face, they did their best to hide their stress. 

“Of course!” They squeaked. 

Krampus’ brows pinched together in frustration. Reaching forward, he flicked their forehead with a long, taloned finger, just hard enough to make it hurt. 

“This is actually what I would like to talk to you about, mein Kiefer-”

Pine blinked in confusion, rubbing the tender spot on their forehead as they muttered about the pain. The anxiety building in them began to wane as their curiosity peaked. 

“Wh-what do you mean?” 

Hooves scraped against stone as Krampus adjusted so he could sit up straighter. Reaching forward, he tapped against their chest lightly. 

“In the weeks you’ve been here, you’ve been doing better. I’m sure you’re feeling it. The change in you is tangible. When you first got here, it was a different case. After seeing you that night and observing you, and hearing you talk about what brought you to this point... are you even aware of why this happened? The reason you got to the point?” 

Pine numbly shook their head. They honestly weren’t sure. It just seemed like things kept piling up until they became too much, and once they were… they were already drowning. They couldn’t come up for air. 

Krampus shook his head, sighing as he reached further up to place a large hand on their head, threading his fingers through the pale strands of hair. 

“It’s okay to say no, mein Liebling… Stop giving from yourself out of obligation. Learning to say ‘no’ and love yourself… resting when you need it so your light does not burn out. That is the best way to care for your loved ones and light their way.”

Pine sat frozen, the words seeming to resonate through them. The note on the gift he had left them suddenly resonated within them on a deeper level, making things seem to click into place. Glancing down at their hands, they suddenly felt their grasp of themselves begin to loosen, their hands much farther away than they should be. 

“I-I guess you’re right. I didn’t even think about it that way… I just want to help everyone. But, I guess I can’t do that if I burn myself out can I… huh.” 

Pine looked up, focusing on the bearded face before them. Kind golden eyes watched them, that pointed smile seeming to pierce through them as he watched them realize the flaw and gnaw at it internally for a moment. 

The hand on their head slipped down to their cheek, his opposite hand cupping the opposite side of the human’s head as he smooshed their small head and face. 

“That’s exactly right, little one… you don’t have to beat yourself over this. Just remember it. Be aware of it. So hopefully, this never happens again. At least, not so bad that I have to intervene. That is quite terrible, after all-” 

Thin lips turned up into a sly smirk, making Pine burst into laughter, feigning attempts to pull themselves from the creatures hold on them. 

“Fine, fine! I’ll be good! I’ll say no to some things from now on! Now let go of me!” 

Satisfied with the human’s admission and their change in tone to a happier note, Krampus chuckled lowly to himself, finally releasing them and beginning to rise to his feet. As his hand rest on his knee, about to push himself up, he felt a small hand grab his wrist lightly, giving him a questioning tug. 

Looking along the arm holding him, he followed it up to catch Pine looking up at him with a shy, questioning look. 

“Okay so… I know I need to say no when I need to. But what about asking for things when I need them?” 

A thick black brow quirked curiously. Sitting back down, Krampus nodded. “That goes without saying… is there something I can get you? Do?” He carefully eyed them, trying to decipher their body language. 

Swallowing hard, Pine rubbed the back of their neck, averting their eyes. 

“It might sound stupid but, uh… and you can obviously say no if this is weird! But I just really need… physical reassurance? Like, just some platonic touches and cuddles. I haven’t had any in so long and it’s been something that’s been eating away at me but c’mon who can I ask for that, and I’m rambling and gunna shut up now-” 

Krampus turned the confession over his mind, shocked at the words momentarily. Not because the small, soft human yearned for touch. But that they’d resort to asking a creature like him, even. They must truly be desperate for another creature’s warmth. Who would he be to deny them? 

“Don’t stress yourself over a request like that, little human. After all, humans are communal creatures. They need touch to live and thrive. There’s nothing wrong with needing that fulfilled.” 

Their anxiety and shyness only somewhat soothed, Pine scooted over in the blankets as the mythical creature began to make himself comfortable next to them. Once he was wedged next to the human, he carefully positioned himself so they could curl into him however they most needed. 

Thankful for the chance to hide their embarrassment, Pine hid their face against his side, burrowing into him. As a heavy arm slipped around them, they shyly slid their arm over his torso, pulling themselves snug into his warmth. As they thought, he was firm and warm. The trails of thick, black fur were coarse and felt nice as they knitted their fingers in them. Where bare, red skin was exposed, heat came off him in waves, the steady thumping of the creature’s heart like a drum beat, lulling them until they calmed. 

Unable to fight the reaction, a deep sigh escaped the human as the comfortable feeling overwhelmed them. 

The tight feeling of the heavy arm over their back tightened for a moment, the creature giving them a slight squeeze as they sighed, their entire body releasing it’s tension as they finally let go of their initial anxiety. 

Krampus watched the human curled up against his side, savoring the softness of their plump flesh against him, giving them a slight squeeze as if to make sure they were really there. He wasn’t used to tender touches like this. His physical encounters with humans had always been business or just in passing, never in any intimate fashion where he would hold them close. 

It brought a smile to his face. He liked this softness. 

Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling heavily for a moment as he let himself imprint the moment into his memory so he would never forget it. 

“Hey, Krampus?” 

“Hm?” 

Krampus lifted his head to look down at the human as they squirmed in his arm, adjusting so they were sitting flush next to him. They played with his long, black hair absentmindedly, occasionally running a finger over his long, furred ears. 

“I, um… I want to say thank you. If you hadn’t whisked me up and, well, reminded me how to take care of myself? If you hadn’t made me slow down and take care of myself, I don’t know what would have happened to me… It’s not the first time I’ve run myself into the ground, but this was really a wake up call. And it really helped me. I think this was an intervention I needed… you really saved me from myself… So. Yeah… Thank you.”

Krampus watched as their face turned multiple shades of pink and red for a moment before they took a breath, sighing as they smiled ear to ear up at him. 

Reaching up, Krampus ran a hand over their head, long nails skimming through the short hair and scratching at their scalp affectionately. 

“I’m glad you have found yourself again… I couldn’t ask for more. Although, I have a confession, while we are having this heart to heart…” 

The creature’s chest dipped, his brows meeting as he mulled over the confession. 

“Helping you was not a solely altruistic act. I have to admit, you were in shambles and needed help. That I could provide. And I saw it as a way to get rid of my loneliness, at least until Yuletide.” 

Pine thought over the words for only a moment before flicking him on one of the horns, as he had done to their forehead mere minutes ago. 

“What was that for?” 

Pine smiled softly, making themself comfortable next to the creature as they began to braid a lock of his long hair while they spoke.

“Now we’re even. For not being honest in the beginning. But really… it’s okay… I get it. And in the end, you still had my interests at heart too. I think this was for both our good…” 

Krampus chuckled slightly, rubbing the pad of a finger over the ridges of the horn the human had just assaulted. 

“While that is true, I guess…” 

Short fingers stopped their motions, the braid along the creature’s shoulder only half complete as Pine looked up to Krampus’s face, their mind focusing on something he had said. 

“What did you mean ‘until Yuletide’?”

Krampus’ face fell slightly, his hand lowering from their hair to rest on their cheek only briefly before falling away. 

“As I told you, the night that I stumbled over you was My Night, Krampuslauf. I can roam freely as I please from then until Yule. Once that night ends, I am bound near my home until the next year’s Krampuslauf…”

Realization dawned on Pine, their thoughts from earlier creeping to the front of their mind again. 

“Ah. Okay… So… you were gunna bring me home before Yule then.``

It was a statement more than a question. 

Krampus nodded gently. “That’s right.” 

A wave of emotions rolled through Pine. As much as they would have paid every penny in their savings to go home at the beginning of this, the creature had grown on them considerably. Looking to his face, they watched him carefully study their expressions, waiting on a cue for how to react. They suddenly realized he was constantly taking them into account first, gauging how to present himself for their sake, as they regathered themself.

His confession echoed in their thoughts.

As much as they weren’t looking forward to saying goodbye, he would be the one alone after all this.. 

They would at least make their remaining time together well spent. 

Smiling kindly, they returned to the braid in his hair. 

“Well, just let me know when, then. Until then, let’s do some stuff together. I think it’ll be some good self care for both of us.” 

A look of relief passed over the creature’s expression, his body physically sagging as his arm tightened around them momentarily. Leaning his head back, a lazy smile flickered across his face as he closed his eyes, the feeling of the human playing with his hair lulling him to sleep for the first time in weeks. 

“Alright, mein Keifer… and no matter what, at least we’ll both always have Krampus Nacht to look back fondly on.”


	4. All I Want For Yule Is You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter is 100% gratuitous SMUT.   
> If this is not for you, feel free to skip this chapter~  
> You will not miss much in the way of plot.   
> However, if you would like some tasty smut and NSFW content?   
> If you want to see our lovely pair become a 'pair', then keep reading~

Pine awoke to the feeling of warmth, firm beneath them,slightly rising and falling. Forcing their eyes open, they yawned, slowly processing that they had wriggled fully atop the humongous, beastly man (if they could call him as such). Ever since their intimate talk, and the creature dozing off next to the human, they had taken to sleeping together in the master bedroom’s bed. It was easily large enough. It simply seemed like the natural transition. 

Pine found their sleep much more restful over the days following, and Krampus had seemed to have a change in demeanor as well. 

“Mmm… good morning, Krampus…” 

Their voice cracked, their throat sore from disuse through the night. Clambering over the sleeping creature’s body, their eyes went wide as muscular arms suddenly wrapped around their plush waist, yanking them back down into the soft bedding. 

“Sleep, mein Kiefer. It is too early.” 

Small hands whapped against his broad shoulders playfully, desperately trying to untangle from his tail and legs as they embraced Pine desperately. 

“At least let me grab a drink, you goat. Jeez. And it’s not too early… you know today is-” 

Krampus’ body sagged as a ragged breath escaped him in a harsh whoosh. 

“The Eve of Yule. I have not forgotten, mein Kiefer… that is exactly why it is too early.” 

Pine stopped wriggling and struggling, letting their body fall limp in his grasp for a moment before curling into him with a soft sigh. 

“Yeah…” 

Fingers traced up the strong back beside them, memorizing the trail of fur that gradually thinned the further up the spine it went. Pine pressed their forehead against Krampus, biting the inside of their cheek hard enough to taste iron. They had already been well aware of the date drawing near, but the glaring reminder brought thoughts they had been battling with roaring to the front of their mind. Their heart beat heavily inside their chest, loud enough that it filled their ears, drowning out the faint white noise of the fire elemental crackling away from the fireplace. 

Without even opening an eye, Krampus lifted a hand, moving to pat the human’s back soothingly. 

“Mein Kiefer, as much as I enjoy the company of your heartbeat, tell me what’s on your mind before your poor heart bursts.”

Biting at their lip for a moment, Pine considered mulling over the thought once more, before caving and deciding to voice it. They were sure that if they didn’t, they would chicken out as they had multiple times in the past few days. 

“I want to fuck you.”

Their eyes clamped shut as the words flew from their mouth. 

Silence hung in the air, the feeling of the hand patting them suddenly stopping its motions. Peaking an eye open, they looked up to see that the creature had finally fully awoken, both eyes fully open, staring at the human as he tried to process the statement. 

“Come again?”

Having gotten the hardest part out, Pine took a steady breath. 

“I want to fuck you.” 

Krampus blinked dumbly at them for a moment. 

“Oh… That’s what I thought you said.”

Silence hung in the air for a moment until Krampus’s brows knit together, voicing the only question circling his thoughts. 

“I’d like to know why?”

Pine gnawed at their lip again for a moment, sitting up. This time, the creature let them sit up fully, releasing his grip from them as he in turn sat up, pulling them closer as they spoke frankly. 

“Well, it’s my last day here… I don’t want to leave with regrets. And I think I’d regret not being intimate with you. Or, at least seeing if you’d be okay with that. You obviously don’t have to humor me. For all I know you find humans gross. But I figured with the lore and all you might, so it was worth a shot… and I’m rambling again… my point is… maybe it’s just me. But when we’re close, sometimes I want more. So even if it’s just once, I wanna do whatever you’re willing to do… with me.”

A large hand reached up, pulling Pine in until they felt the slight scratch of the creature’s beard on their temple, a chaste kiss being placed on the side of their face before he started working his way to their lips. Butterflies soared in their chest as the sensation filled them. 

As he pulled away, a coy smile crossed the creature’s face. 

“You’re not the only one. Let’s make sure you leave with no regrets, mein Liebling.”

Large hands slipped along Pine’s sides, pulling them closer until they fully strandled the creature’s lap; the sensation of being lifted with each small rut thanks to their sheer difference sending overwhelming thoughts to their head. Sharp teeth began to mouth playfully along their neck, alternating between soft nips and long licks, the feeling of a long, forked tongue wrapping along their neck sending shudders down their spine. 

“H-holy shit, Krampus…” 

A wicked smile spread across the creatures face as he dragged the prehensile tongue along the side of their neck and face, a large hand sliding beneath their shirt and running sharp nails delicately up their entire torso. They paused to lovingly stroke the slightly raised scars along Pine’s chest, making him shudder again, harder. Normally touching them just meant they were tender… why was this sending them spiraling. 

They felt the hook of Krampus’ nose slip against their ear for a moment, his breath husky as he whispered. 

“Just let go… enjoy the sensations.”

Pine chuckled, their voice coming out in a hiccup. 

“W-way ahead of y-you-”

Slipping their arms around his broad form, they instinctively raked blunt nails down Krampus’ back as their head lolled to the side. The large form in their arms shuddered, a hiss escaping him as the feeling shook him. Teeth sunk into the curve of Pine’s shoulder, pulling an obscene kean from their mouth as the slightest tinge of pain and pleasure swirled through their head in unison. 

Within moments, Krampus was back to peppering kisses over the already bruising mark, soothing it tenderly as a chuckle worked through him. 

“It seems mein Kiefer likes a little bit of pain. Some sharpness to help you feel alive?” He chuckled lightly, dragging his claws down their back just hard enough to leave a pale trail in their wake. 

Pine shivered, managing to keep a smirk plastered on their face as they caught the creature’s eyes, staring into the golden orbs.

“I’ve been rather naughty… and I’m here in none other than Krampus’ clutches… whatever will happen to me?” 

It only took a fraction of a second for Krampus to process Pine’s tone, and their shift in demeanor. Whatever switch he had flicked, he would happily indulge and let them have their fun. He said they should leave without regrets after all. It would be inexcusable to not finish what they’d started. And if he happened to enjoy himself along the way, so be it-

His tone deepening, he gave short, concise commands as he maneuvered from under the human. It took all of his restraint not to rut into them as his own excitement grew, his shaft already hardening and becoming increasingly visible with each agonizing minute. 

“Strip. Bare yourself for me and present yourself. Either leaned over the bed, or lay on the bed with your hips raised. You can use a pillow for support-”

The excitement bubbling within Pine rose, their entire body suddenly tingling as they began to undress hurriedly. As soon as they were bare, they grabbed a large pillow from near the headboard, folding it under their waist so it could support their hips like the creature suggested. This was far from their first time in a sexual encounter like this. Not involving a mythical creature, of course. But, one that would likely involve anything strenuous on the body. Pillows were a person’s best friend. 

The sound of hooves on stone caught their attention, their head flicking up to catch sight of Krampus as he entered the room again in all his glory. From the tuft of fur near his groin, the beginnings of an erection had begun to spring, sagging slightly and giving a twitch as he eyed the human splayed out on the bed. In one hand, a switch made of what they assumed was birch was gripped tightly. The sound of it whapping sharply against his other hand echoed through the room as he tutted. 

“So naughty, mein Kiefer… that I had to spirit you away where no one could find you just to save you from yourself… and look at you now? Laying in mein bed and presenting yourself so eagerly.” 

His accent rolled thickly over the last sentence, losing himself in the feeling as he reveled in the sight of the human, so eagerly waiting for him. 

Stepping forward, he reached out with his empty hand, gripping a chilly ass cheek and kneading it slowly, earning a quiet groan in response. As he began to slowly warm the mound of flesh, swapping to the other cheek before returning to the first, he leaned over them, whispering hoarsely. 

“You are sure you desire this, mein Liebling?” 

A curt nod was all he received.

He gave the cheek in his hand a slight squeeze, leaning down to kiss their shoulder blade. 

“I need you to use your voice, Schatz-”  
Pine began to nod again, forcing their mouth to work. “Yes. Please, I need this…”

Within moments a large hand slapped across their right cheek, leaving behind a soft pink mark. Pine jolted, managing to stay in place but letting out a low groan. 

“I’m going to alternate; if you need me to stop, say so and I will.” 

Pine nodded, the feeling of the same hand returning to rub the tender cheek for a moment. 

“O-okay, sounds good.”

They heard the crack of the next hit more than they felt it. Seconds after their brain registered the noise, a sharp sting spread thinly across their backside. A sharp keen to match pealed from their lips, a satisfying shudder overtaking them. 

Just as before, Krampus paused to soothe the welts that now showed across the warm cheek, the color slowly beginning to darken. Lowering himself briefly, he kissed the tender flesh, muttering praises in his native tongue

The overwhelming sensations continued, alternating between harsh stings of pain, coupled with the pleasure of tender kisses and touches, and soft pats and touches until Pine was wriggling and near the point of tears. Panting huffs escaped them, pleasure building within them built into agonizing pleasure, their skin burning up it felt so overwhelmed. 

Watching as the human began to twitch with each touch, Krampus tossed away the switch, crawling onto the bed and taking hold of the human’s thigh. Pine looked back in confusion for a moment, until Krampus easily rolled them onto their back, spreading their knees and hefting them over his shoulders. 

Moments before, they had thought the heat overwhelming their body couldn’t burn any hotter. Boy had they been wrong. 

One hand slipped down, their fingers wrapping around the rough ridges of one of the creature’s horns. Their head drooped back as their other hand splayed over their face. 

“Oh my God! You… you don’t have to do that! It’s okay! That’s gotta be so weird for you…”

Golden eyes lolled up at them, meeting their stare through splayed fingers. Heady lust filled his eyes. 

“Do you want me to stop?”

A heaving breath escaped them as they choked at the question. 

“How can you ASK that? Holy shit… Of course I want you to do that but-”

The feeling of his hot breath over their cunt sent a shiver up their body; a tight jolt of pleasure beginning to wind in their stomach. 

“Then no leaving with regret? Remember?” 

The feeling of Krampus’ mouth enveloping them made Pine arch and buck, the only thing keeping their shoulders grounded to the bedding was a sheer force of will. His long, forked tongue flipped at their clit, tracing softly around it as he mouthed their folds, occasionally nipping at them teasingly. Within every new sensation Pine felt their body jolt, new waves of pleasure sending static through their nerve endings. 

Their second hand slipped down between their legs to join the first, winding into Krampus’ thick head of hair, holding him desperately into their cunt as if their life depended on the pleasure he was inflicting on them. On the rare occasion he came up for air, his face and beard glistening with damp, it sent Pine’s chest soaring. The look of elation on his face, as if he was feasting on his last meal. They were sure he'd have dived back down into them just as fast even if they hadn’t eagerly tugged at his horn, whining desperately to continue riding his heavenly tongue. 

As Krampus slipped back between Pine’s legs, the feeling of their plump thighs tightened around him momentarily before loosening, seeming to grow aware of how tightly they were grasping him. 

A deep growl, unlike anything he’d made before, but a noise that felt distinctly primal and _right_ ,rose within his chest, resonating into their core as he grabbed their legs, encouraging them to tighten around him. Barely lifting his face from their parted lips, he groaned out, one hand sliding down along their back to support them as he supported both of their weights. 

“I’m not some frail little thing… hold me till you think you will break me, and then hold on even tighter. Even then, I will still take my time with you, mein Liebling… Today is entirely for you..”

Returning his mouth to their slightly parted lips, he slid his tongue within them, groaning loudly into them; a deep rumble resounded through them as he continued to relish in the taste of them.

Pine felt themselves begin to unfold, the feeling of something deep within them snapping and sending pleasure coursing through them in waves. Their toes clenched, their very fingers and toes tingling as the feelings danced over their skin. Erotic noises pulled from their lips, their ankles hooking behind Krampus’ head and canting their hips towards him as each ministration made them unfold a little bit more. 

As they began to come down, their post-orgasmic high beginning to wane, the feel of the long, slender tongue lapping at their folds began to slow, taking their time cleaning every part of them before beginning to kiss up along their hip. 

Letting go of the creature’s horn, Pine’s arm slumped over their head, their breath coming in hard, desperate rasps. Staring up at the ceiling, they tried to get their eyes to focus. 

“Holy shit… That was… amazing. What the fuck-”

Krampus lay next to them, pulling them into his arm as he nuzzled his face into their neck, placing a kiss there slowly. “There is plenty of day left, unless you are satisfied?”

Rolling over, Pine slipped their arms around his neck, running their cheek along his before placing a kiss there. 

“Oh, holy shit yes… the entire day just slow, affectionate lazy fucking and sensation play? Yes, please…”

Krampus chuckled, nodding against them as he ran his palms over their bare torso. 

“You did so well, after all… Good little humans should be rewarded, nein?”

Pine shivered, their smile widening as they moved to press their lips against his own. Running their tongue over his lips, they silently begged for entry. 

Within moments it was granted, groans echoing through the room as a fight for dominance began. The feel of the long, prehensile tongue twisting along their own, exploring them, made Pine shiver. It was a strange, foreign feeling, but not at all an unwelcome one.

The feeling of something warm, firm… familiar bumping against their thigh drew their attention. Looking down, sure enough, what had before only been at half mast, was now a full erection, for who knows how long. Long and slender, with a slightly tapered end, the firm shaft nudged against Pine’s hip with each unintentional rut and shift. 

Krampus chuckled slightly. 

“Ah, forgive me, you have quite the effect on me afterall…” 

Slipping one hand up to thread into his long hair, Pine returned to kissing the creature deeply. While his mouth was busy and silenced, they reached down, taking the warm members in their hand and began to gently grasp it, giving the long appendage languid strokes in time with their motions. As they savored the feel of him, heavy in their hand, they broke away for air, a high pitch whine escaping him as their mouths separated. 

“Great Gods… don’t stop…”

Rutting his hips into their hand, he slowly began to fuck himself against them. 

Pausing the ministrations, Pine bit their lip. A needy whine ripped from the creature’s lips, followed by a heady pant. 

Before he could voice his discomfort, Pine smiled, slipping next to him and spoon flush against him. Reaching between their legs, they slipped the appendage between their thighs and began to rut along with him, their own noises slowly escalating.

Krampus; head drooped down, his forehead resting on Pine’s shoulder as he huffed, rutting between their thighs. A small hand slipped up, grabbing him by the horn and holding him there as they shuddered. 

“Go… Go ahead… inside me. I want you to… and I know you want to-”

Without an ounce of hesitation, as if that permission was all he had needed, Krampus gripped Pine’s hips, his large hands easily spreading and holding them just right so he could press deep into them. 

A deep, rumbling groan echoed through the room as he seated himself to the base within them, making them cry out in turn. Only giving them a moment to adjust, he quickly found a steady pace that had them both crying out. Pine heard tightly to the creature’s horn, as if holding him to them was the only thing grounding them as he fucked into them. The winding coil of pleasure inside them began to tighten again, building steadily with each slap. 

Sure enough, just when Pine thought he would send them crashing over the edge, he would ease them off of it, taking his time teasing and edging them despite his own lust addled brain. 

After what seemed to be forever, their breathing becoming more and more erratic, one large hand gripped their hip tightly, the other slapping over their smaller one and holding it. The creature’s breath suddenly raised an octave, becoming harsher and more uncontrolled. 

Focusing on their own pleasure, long denied, Pine let the feeling of being held so tightly while being fucked so primally wash over them. An especially hard thrust sent them reeling, stars blossoming behind their eyes as they cried out, tightening around him as they came harder than had in… longer than they cared to admit. Their arms turned to jelly, silently becoming thankful that Krampus was able to support them as they twitched and stretched.

In turn, the feeling of Pine tightening so sweetly around him was all it took to send Krampus careening over the edge in turn, his own orgasm washing over him. Pleasure shot up from his spine, his hips rocking into them instinctually as he gasped for air. 

As they each came down, the pair slumped together, panting for air and too exhausted in the moment to peel away from each other, despite the discomfort of sweat and hair as it began to dry. 

A large, taloned hand reached up to scratch at Pine’s scalp, a lazy smile on his face as his eyes closed. He was sure of it. He would never forget this odd little human. There was no way, now. 

Pines smirked, closing their eyes and savoring the scratches, leaning into the touch with a sigh. 

“That was… also amazing. Jeez, are you just always a great fuck?” 

Krampus snorted, beginning to chuckle lowly under his breath. 

“I’ve never asked anyone before.” 

Pine rolled their eyes. “Okay, you smug old goat… fine. You are. Only way it could be better is if I got to be the one to fuck you too. But I highly doubt you’ve even heard of pegging-”

A single golden eye opened as Krampus smirked down at the human in his arms. 

“I believe that could be arranged~” 

Pines mouth gaped for a moment, before their hands slid to cover their face, their exasperated voice coming out muffled.

“Oh my God, why is the perfect lay fucking KRAMPUS?!”


	5. Transatlanticism (No Longer)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EPILOGUE:

“Thank you, Dean… Yes… Yeah, that’s no problem. I can help with the interviews. Of course… Thank you again, Sir… Yes, I’ll be in tomorrow, first thing in the morning. I wanted to get some things ready before we have people coming in. See you then, Sir…. Goodbye-” 

Pine let out a deep sigh, a relieved look plastered across their face. 

In the time since returning home, they had finally worked up the nerve to contact the university’s Dean about why they were overworked, and the desperate need for an assistant, if not another Councillor for the large campus. Despite the anxiety they held about bringing up the matter, the man seemed overjoyed to actually get feedback from them, and was eager to have them undertake an assistant when they returned from the winter break. It would be an excellent opportunity for a freshly graduated student, and would keep their best (or rather only) Councillor from having to take another extended leave. 

Now that said winter break was about to end, they felt like they were spending an increasing amount of time on the phone with the older man, preparing to interview the candidates he had approved from their recommendation list. It took a fair bit of work, to get some help, apparently. 

But, it was satisfying work, and getting it done invigorated them. It didn’t feel like a chore, like so much of their work had for so long. 

Rising from their couch, they paced through their small apartment, quickly surveying it for any stray messes they would need to tidy in passing. Just as they were about to call everything clear, they noticed their clothes hamper had been capsized, the contents strewn about their bedroom floor. 

“Hmmm… now I wonder what could have done that…” 

Quietly creeping over, they inwardly laughed, thankful for socks on carpet. Leaning down, they carefully reached for a bundle of clothes before quickly snatching at it. The moment they grabbed the bundle of clothes, something within the pile jumped, launching out of the wad at warp nine. 

A pitch black streak zoomed across the room, diving under the bed as Pine burst into a fit of laughter. Wiping the tears from their eyes, they began to clean up the clothes basket, filling it with the stray articles one by one. 

“Aww, I’m sorry for scarin’ you, Snoot! That’s what you get for making a mess though! You have no idea how hard it was for me to work up to getting this place clean… first time in months… if I let one thing slide, it’ll all go. Like Jenga. Or Dominos… one of those games.” 

As they began to mutter to themselves, the black cat crept out from its hiding spot, mewing in response. 

Pine glanced at it as it meowed again. 

“Don’t argue with me. You can keep your part of the room how you want it when you start paying rent. Lazy furball.” 

The cat meowed, staring at its owner blankly. 

Pine sighed, throwing their hands in the air. “I can’t argue with that. Fine. Come here and let me cuddle you, fluffbutt. Lemme kiss that Snoot snoot.” 

Seemingly satisfied that it had won its way, the cat trotted closer, purring as Pine picked it up and began to press kisses against its fur. 

Adopting the vocal little creature had been a choice they had made after relearning how to live on their own. The past few weeks had been good, and they had finally gotten the energy to tackle the things they needed… things like cleaning and getting work handled… but they found the formerly quaint and cozy apartment strangely large and quiet for some reason. 

So, to take initiative and fix the problem, they marched themselves down to the local shelter and adopted the noisiest cat there, naming him Snoot after the single white spot over his nose. 

The decision had paid off. Apparently the cat made for an excellent conversation partner and helped soothe the loneliness that had seemed to creep in, as of late. It didn’t completely fix the problem, but it nursed it enough that Pine found themselves able to work through the motions and tackle their life. 

Glancing to their furry companion, a smile crossed their face. 

“How about I fix myself some spiced cookies and give you some of those treats you like, huh? Snack before bedtime sound good?” 

A loud mewl resounded, the feline jumping down and running towards the kitchen at the mention of the word ‘treats’. Laughing loudly, Pine followed behind, finding themself more content in that moment than they had been since that evening in late December…

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

As the late morning air sent chills through Pine, despite their thick coat and boots, they trekked across the barren University campus. Few students graced the grounds, mostly faculty coming in on these days before winter break would end, in order to prepare for the coming semester.

One of the older teachers, a woman with frizzy ginger hair that framed a long, thin face, smiled over when she caught sight of the younger staff member. She raised a hand, offering a wave before shouting a ‘Welcome back!’. 

Pine wasn’t sure if it was meant in general, after being back from winter break, or if their early leave had, inevitably, become the topic of the faculty’s rumour mill. Either way, it didn’t matter. All they could do was offer kindness in turn. They smiled widely and waved, shouting back a greeting of their own. 

Hurrying their pace, they made their way to the enormous building that contained their office. Passing through the winding halls with a memorized ease, they nearly knocked over the short, stout man who happened to take the same turn as them. The man’s bristly moustache twitched across his mouth for a moment as he gathered himself. Pine gasped, reaching out to help him steady himself. 

“Oh, Dean! I’m so sorry! I was just… so eager to get to the office, I wasn’t looking where I was going. I’m sorry! Are you okay?” 

The older man chuckled, brushing himself off. 

“I’m just glad to see you back to your old self. You are one of our younger staff and you connect with the students because of it. If bowling me over is what it takes to put the spark back in your eyes, I think this old body can take another strike or two.” 

The man laughed at his own joke, slapping his rotund stomach for good measure. 

Pine chuckled politely. Just how genuinely people seemed to miss them being ‘themself’ resonated within them, reminding them of something the old goat they had spent so much time with had said. Their hand unconsciously slipped into their pocket, tracing over the wooden figurine that they had been unable to part with. 

They would set it up in their office, they told themself. There it could be on display and they could fondly look at it. It could be a reminder every day to take care of themselves. 

The sound of the man clearing his throat snapped Pine from their daze. 

“Hm? What did you say, Sir? I’m sorry, I haven’t had my coffee yet; I zoned out.” 

The man chuckled, smiling knowingly. 

“Oh, I’m the same way. Don’t talk to me until I’ve had two pots. Doctor says I shouldn’t be reliant on the stuff because of my heart but who would run this school if I spent the day asleep on my desk!” 

Pine chuckled, their eyes crinkling as the man began to derail. 

“Sir?” 

The man’s brows arched at the interjection, his attention springing back to the original topic. 

“Oh, that’s right! What I had been saying. This is actually perfect timing! Look at how rude I’m being. I need to introduce you to our new staff member. He’ll be heading our History Department while he is here and taking over the European Histories courses.”

Pine paused, curiosity overwhelming them. A vaguely familiar face appeared from around the corner, a lopsided smile painted across the man’s face. Dark skin, and long dark hair, with patches of salt and pepper gray around the ears came into view. The manicured beard also littered with streaks of grey; broad shoulders accentuated by a deep grey peacoat. Long, dark nails curled around the top of a hand carved, wooden cane. 

Something about the slightly aged appearance threw Pine off... The crows’ feet starting at the edges of the man’s eyes told of years well spent. Why was he so familiar?!

The moment he opened his mouth, recognition resonated through them, nearly making them drop where they stood. 

In that familiar, thick German accent, a deep heady voice rolled out. 

“Edmonde Klausse. Though, mein Kiefer here and I are already well acquainted, so I do not think introductions are in order. Thank you though, Sir…” 

Pine gaped at the man, trying to gather their thoughts and figure out what to say. 

Seeming to take the lead, Krampus, or rather Klausse, nodded down at them. 

“I look forward to working with you professionally, Mx Ardent.”

The Dean looked between the two, grinning ear to ear. “Well, that makes things easier on me! If you have the time, could you take Professor Klausse here to Administration for me? So many people need my attention today.” 

Without a second thought, Pine nodded absentmindedly. “N-no problem, Sir…” 

Slapping Pine on the back in thanks, the older man began to totter down the hall, searching out his next task and leaving the pair in awkward silence. 

The taller man glanced down, smirking slightly. 

“I thought you learned to say no to things, mein Liebling.” 

Pine glanced up, pointing a finger at the man’s chest.

“Not the point right now! You said you couldn’t leave your house after Yule! How are you HERE?!” 

Krampus rolled his shoulders, standing to his full height. Even in his human form he easily towered over them. 

“I never said I was bound to that particular place… just that I was bound to my home. So if I were to, say, change my home… I would instead be bound to that region. I was owed some favours… So I decided a change of scenery was necessary. It is nice to see the world on occasion. It isn’t the first time I’ve done so even-”

Pine’s mouth hung open in disbelief. Hanging their head, resting their forehead in their hands. 

“You cannot say you haven’t been wishing for it…” 

His thick accent suddenly tinged with a knowing sadness. 

Pine looked up at him, their brows knitting together. 

“You don’t know that. I’ve been doing great-” 

Reaching down, the man slipped his hand into Pine’s pocket, withdrawing the wooden figurine and holding out knowingly. 

“You can’t lie to something like me, mein Kiefer. I’ve felt every time you’ve called-”

Tears swelled in Pine’s eyes as they realized what he meant. Snatching the figure from his hand, they clung to it, looking desperately up at him. There really was no lying.

“...I’ve missed you.”

A slight nod. “I know…” 

Their grip on the figure tightened. “I love you…” 

Krampus reached down, loosening their grip and smiling. 

“I’ll always love you, mein Liebling. I wouldn’t have come, otherwise.” 

Pine gaze slipped up, catching on golden eyes, noticing how they shifted to the familiar goatlike ones they recognized, for only a moment. 

“Things are going to be different this year, aren’t they?”

The man chuckled, reaching up to caress their cheeks. Tilting their head towards himself, he kissed their forehead tenderly. 

“Most likely. Yes.” 

Pine forced a breathy chuckle, pounding a fist feebly against the now human-passing chest.

“Jeez, what am I going to DO with you?” 

A deep chuckle filled the air. “I would hope love me.” 

Pine barked out a laugh, standing up again and rubbing their eyes. 

“I don’t think I have much choice there. I’m in too deep. Now let’s get you down to Administration, I guess? What are you even doing here? Why do you have a job here?” 

Krampus took long, languid steps, keeping his pace in time with the shorter human’s. 

“Keeping up appearances among humans doesn’t take too much work. I figured it would be easiest if I took on work as a visiting scholar, to blend in. It will make it easier to be out places other than my home.” 

Pine nodded along as he explained. Raising a hand, they looked to him curiously, their brows raised. 

“Okay but… why Klausse? Like… is that just a pseudo you use or is there history behind it?”

The man shrugged. “In my tongue it is the root of my name. ‘Klausse’ means ‘Claws’, as I was long known for... What better way than to ‘hide in plain sight’, as they say.” 

His smile suddenly flickered into a wicked grin. 

“Plus, I just know it’s going to shove some coal up old Nikolas’s tail when he catches wind that I’m using it. How could I resist an opportunity like that?”


End file.
